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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Taking young kids to Disney?

14 replies

DisneyDisney · 21/03/2023 22:30

So inspired by a thread where a poor woman got sick at Disney with a pre schooler and a toddler and jackass of a husband was angry at her. So many of the comments and then the comment section of the mail were filled with ‘stupid woman why go to Disney land with young kids’ or ‘this isn’t real no one takes young children to Disney’.

to this i ask why not? Why the big feelings on it? My kids are a very similar age and we went. They loved it, the parks are filled with toddlers, babies and pre schoolers. A lot of rides can have babies on? Under 3 is free for everything.

mine loved it so much we’ll take them to florida next year and they’ll be 5 and 2.

OP posts:
gogohmm · 21/03/2023 22:38

It depends where you live, your financial situation and what you are expecting from your visit.

If you went 20+ years ago and remember it fondly you need to remember that they have changed have the parks operate, they are far busier and they charge for passes to speed things up, the queues to visit characters are now crazy too. I took mine aged 1&3 in 2002 (California) and it was lovely, mostly young families as in term time, we went to Paris in 2006, busier but still essentially the same ... by 2018 they had started extra charges for most things, seem to be double the number of people in the park and even charged for the previously included breakfast - looking for later this year it's got worse.

I suppose I'm saying buyer beware

Original poster
DisneyDisney · 21/03/2023 22:50

gogohmm · 21/03/2023 22:38

It depends where you live, your financial situation and what you are expecting from your visit.

If you went 20+ years ago and remember it fondly you need to remember that they have changed have the parks operate, they are far busier and they charge for passes to speed things up, the queues to visit characters are now crazy too. I took mine aged 1&3 in 2002 (California) and it was lovely, mostly young families as in term time, we went to Paris in 2006, busier but still essentially the same ... by 2018 they had started extra charges for most things, seem to be double the number of people in the park and even charged for the previously included breakfast - looking for later this year it's got worse.

I suppose I'm saying buyer beware

Sure buyer beware but the reaction on that thread and then in the mail comments about how stupid it was etc and obviously fake because no one is that stupid as to take kids that age seemed bizarre to me but a significant amount of people echoed a similar sentiment

OP posts:
thaisweetchill · 21/03/2023 22:54

Personally I wouldn't take my kids on such a long haul flight with a massive expense to somewhere they probably won't appreciate until they're older 🤷🏼‍♀️

lifeturnsonadime · 21/03/2023 22:54

Nothing wrong with it at all if you enjoy it and can afford it.

Original poster
DisneyDisney · 21/03/2023 22:57

thaisweetchill · 21/03/2023 22:54

Personally I wouldn't take my kids on such a long haul flight with a massive expense to somewhere they probably won't appreciate until they're older 🤷🏼‍♀️

depends on the kids though my eldest would love it now and fully appreciate it, theyve got fave characters, rides etc and cry when they leave. Youngest really enjoyed the music and the atmosphere too

OP posts:
Original poster
DisneyDisney · 21/03/2023 22:59

lifeturnsonadime · 21/03/2023 22:54

Nothing wrong with it at all if you enjoy it and can afford it.

My sentiment exactly, some people love it and then it’s worth it for them

OP posts:
thaegumathteth · 21/03/2023 22:59

We first went to Disneyland when mine were 2&5. They both loved it, they were in bed by 7 though so we missed fireworks etc but have been back to Disneyland 3 times since and Disney world once and they're 12&16 now and still love it.

NailsForBreakfastTacksForSnacks · 21/03/2023 23:26

lifeturnsonadime · 21/03/2023 22:54

Nothing wrong with it at all if you enjoy it and can afford it.

This.
l go there a lot and my kids are adults. I enjoy it and I can afford it. Personally I’d get nothing at all out of lying on a beach or by a pool. Different strokes and all that.

Small kids will still get a lot out of it, sounds, lights, colours and smells would all be stimulating.

Enjoy Florida OP! DH and I are doing that next year. I’ve done California and DLP so far this year and I’ll be back in DLP in May (annual passes)

Choppypog · 21/03/2023 23:34

Because people don't just go to Disney for their kids, they go for themselves too.

We used to go as a couple, just us. It was awesome.
We're taking our just-4 year old after Christmas.

No she probably won't remember it, but we will!

Whippetlovely · 23/07/2023 22:58

I took my son and daughter in October he was 4 she was 10. They both absolutely loved it. Son was really good on the flight and he’s usually hyper so I was really impressed, he watched films and played games on the tv and didn’t fall asleep on either flight. He loved Disney went on loads of rides including guardians of the galaxy (it seems the US are less stringent on heights than uk). We stayed at art of animation and he loved using the skyline to get to the parks. We went to universal too and was still lots he could go on. It’s perfect for any age and we plan to go back in a couple of years if we can afford it.

MerryChristmasAHole · 23/07/2023 23:58

Growing up we were really lucky and went to Dinsneyland Paris almost every year from when I was about 6/7. Mainly because my DSD loved it! The first time we went my siblings were toddlers. He always says he just loved seeing how much everyone enjoyed it.

We don’t go every year now but he still takes my younger siblings on occasion and tries to arrange everyone to go. Last year we went with my children who were a preschooler and a 9mo at the time, my parents, siblings &their partners and my grandparents in their 80s came too… we all loved it. DC went on as much as possible and was fearless, went round dressed as their favourite Disney character the whole time. my mum and I don’t really like the scary rides and were happy to sit with the kids and do other bits. The parades were enthralling for the children. My Grandad is 81 and went on everything and laughed that he nearly lost his teeth on Indiana Jones. My children got to spend times with their aunties and uncles, some of whom they don’t get to see very often because they live quite far away.

If you wouldn’t take young children to Disney then fair enough but I don’t get it when people moan about others doing it? It’s none of your business! If that’s how we choose to spend our time together as a family then what does it matter to anyone else.

and many people use the “they won’t remember it” excuse - that may be the case but the rest of us will have those lovely memories and photos, and have had some lovely quality time.

MerryChristmasAHole · 24/07/2023 00:05

basically What I’m saying is that if you can afford it and want to go why not? It’s something everyone can enjoy.

If it was an expensive beach holiday with a baby and toddler for example, no one would bat an eye lid.

just because they won’t necessarily remember it doesn’t mean you should do nice things.

OP, if you go to Florida I hope you have an amazing time

MerryChristmasAHole · 24/07/2023 00:05

*shouldnt

OutnumberedByDogs · 24/07/2023 00:18

I don’t know why people get so bothered about what others do for holidays.

We went to Disney Paris when our oldest was 4, he loved it. I was pregnant with our next child. Then when they were 8 and 3 we went to Disney, Florida. They both loved it and youngest remembers bits of it.

Now they’re mid/late teens and next year we’re going to America to visit family, will do Disney and then Route 66. They’re very much looking forward to it all. Disney is fun at whatever age.

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